


not all texans are cowboys

by tusktooth



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Horseback Riding, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-19 21:38:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19364512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tusktooth/pseuds/tusktooth
Summary: Alex was probably just about the only Texan who had never been on a horse.





	not all texans are cowboys

**Author's Note:**

> okay i finished this book the day i went to a ranch for the weekend to help w my sister's gs so this is what happened anyway horses are evil and i can definitely say that bc a.) i rode one last sat and b.) i go to school in WY!!!  
> [gays be on tungler](http://setholiver.tumblr.com/)

Alex was probably just about the only Texan who had never been on a horse.

It wasn’t that he was scared, per se. Actually, he definitely wasn't scared. He was Alex Claremont-Diaz and he didn’t really  _ get  _ scared. Especially not of stupid animals like horses, with their alarming amount of teeth (around 40) and their cursed form (really, who decided they were allowed to look that ugly). He just thought they were evil and the was no reason to ever ride one in his life.

That was, until now.

Really, it was all Henry’s fault, as was about everything in his life nowadays, not that he typically had any complaints. But Henry’s aptitude in polo had directly led to this moment of him standing outside the castle stables in a fucking cowboy hat preparing for an activity that supposedly “linked their cultures” despite the fact that he had never been on a stupid fucking horse.

“Absolutely not,” Alex said, turning back to where Zahra, Shaad, and Nora were standing together, the latter smirking like there was some funny joke that he had missed. “Call the photographer. The photoshoot is off.”

“You  _ will _ get on that horse, Alex,” Zahra insisted. “It’s better to do it now rather when the photographer arrives to capture a wonderful picture of you falling on your ass trying to mount the saddle.”

“Why are you here anyway?” he asked, then glanced between her and Shaad. “Isn’t exploiting your job for booty calls a little unprofessional?”

Nora laughed. “Alex, you have no room to talk. Taxpayer dollars pay for your booty calls  all the time.”

“Your mother asked me to be here,” Zahra told him. “She said that you were afraid of horses and you needed something scarier to motivate you, so here I am. Spending time with my fiancé is a bonus.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not afraid of horses, despite their inherit diabolical nature.”

“Then hop on,” she said, gesturing toward the horse.

“It’s a lot of pressure, you know?” he said. “All of you just watching me like that.”

“There are three of us and two of us have seen you in far more embarrassing situations than this,” Nora pointed out.

“All three of us have, actually,” Shaan corrected.

“Look, guys. I’m  _ not  _ scared,” he insisted.

“It’s okay, Alex,” Nora said, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder. “There’s no shame in having fears. I’m here for moral support and I’m sorry for teasing you.”

“Why would you be here for moral support?” he asked. “Seeing as I’m not afraid of horses.”

“June said-” Nora started and Alex cut her off by groaning loudly.

Of course, June said something. Sometimes her protective streak had it’s downsides, like spilling his secrets. The path to hell is paved with good intentions, after all.

He didn’t realize that she had remembered, though. June had to have been about 12 when she went through her single summer horseback riding phase. He barely remembered it himself, only that her parents were thrilled because it was something that both of them had done a few times when they were younger and that he had flat out refused to go onto the premises.

“Look, you’ll be fine,” Zahra assured him, bringing him back to reality. “Do you seriously think that a horse in the care of the  _ monarchy _ would bring any sort of harm to you?”

“It’s an animal,” he argued. “Who knows what it could do? We don’t think like they do, Zahra!”

“It’s an animal that is far more trained than you,” she replied. “So suck it up and get on up there so we can take some pictures. The photographer is going to be here any minute.”

“Then where is Henry?” Alex asked. “I seem to recall the arrangement being us doing it together which, by the way, I still don’t understand  _ why _ , and he isn’t even here.”

“I told you,” Zahra began. “Your relationship is near and dear to the public. Leaking photos of the two of you having a grand time together in a manner that can invoke national pride for both cultures will bring upon higher approval ratings-”

“I get it,” he said. “I just don’t get why Henry isn’t here yet.”

“Official Crown business,” Shaan said simply.

“He went to Nando’s with Bea and he’s very sorry that they’re running late,” Nora told him, waving around the phone that he’s asked her to hold.

Alex frowned and slapped his hand over his heart in fake hurt. “You’d really do me like that, Shaan. I’m practically part of the family now. I deserve a straight answer.”

Shaan rolled his eyes and remained silent.

“We brought you here early because we knew that you might need some time to prepare yourself and get onto the horse,” Zahra explained to him. “You’ve already burnt away that time, though, so it’s time to just take a deep breath and do it because you are a grown ass adult and you can put your fears behind you and sit in a saddle for an hour.”

“Can’t we like play soccer or something instead?” he suggested.

“Alex.”

“Think of it as a political thing,” Nora suggested. “Cowboys have nearly become synonymous with white men these days while the history of vaqueros has been forgotten both by history books and the cultural memory of Americans.”

He took a deep breath and faced the horse. It was fancy-looking. Tall and strong, with a big head. One that held approximately 40 teeth.

Alex turned back around. “Shouldn’t I at least be wearing a helmet or something?”

“Helmets aren’t attractive,” Zahra replied. “And besides, as I’ve already told you, this is a very well trained horse.”

“Safety is  _ always  _ sexy,” he argued. “I think we need to promote a safer enjoyment of activities that offer a risk of concussions or other head trauma.”

“You’re right. That sounds perfectly sexy too me,” said Henry’s voice from somewhere behind him.

Alex whipped around to see his boyfriend leaning against the stable door with a smile on his face.

“Better late than never,” he huffed, crossing his arms.

Henry walked over and kissed on the cheek. “I’ve missed you too.”

“Am I on time?” an unfamiliar voice huffed. The photographer.

Zahra smiled widely and stepped up to meet the woman and give her instructions in exactly how the shoot was supposed to go.

“So you’ll be riding Guinevere today?” he asked, reaching up to stroke the nose of the horse in question.

“Allegedly,” he replied with an awkward shrug.

Henry raised an eyebrow and turned back to him. “Would you rather ride Lance? He’s a bit more of a free spirit than she is and he’s mine, but if it would make you more comfortable, we can switch.”

Alex shook his head. “It’s not that. It’s just-” he took a deep breath “-I guess I don’t really like horses all that much. Or at all, in fact. They look evil with their bulging eyes and all their many teeth and yeah.”

Henry frowned. “You’ve never ridden horseback before?”

He sighed and nodded, feeling somewhat ashamed.

“Are you afraid?”

Alex elected not to respond to that, but the heat rushing to he cheeks dared to betray his silence.

“It’s alright, love,” Henry said softly, reaching forward and gripping Alex’s wrist loosely. “Everyone had their fears and you have nothing to be ashamed of. If you’d prefer not to do this, that’s fine by me but, for what it’s worth, I’ll be riding beside you the entire time and you know I’d never willingly allow any pain to come to you.”

“I know,” he replied quietly, barely over a breath. “I can do this.”

Henry smiled. “I know you can, love. You can do anything.”

He pulled Alex along to the side of the horse, intertwining their fingers before reaching up and setting their hands upon Guinevere’s mane. The horse didn’t move. She didn’t even make a sound.

“See,” Henry said in a soft voice, “she’s not going to hurt you.”

Alex nodded. He still had his reservations, but he trusted Henry above all. This was going to be fine.

Henry dropped his hand and moved a bit behind the saddle, gesturing for Alex to come toward him. “I’ll help you up if you’re ready.”

Breathing deeply Alex walked forward and accepted his boyfriend’s help in mounting the horse. It only took a few seconds and then he was up there. He could sense the small motions of the horse like the up and down of her breathing and the light swinging of her tail, but overall she was still. Henry was right. This wasn’t so bad.

“Are you alright?” Henry asked. 

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Henry untied Guinevere. “Do you know how to command her?” he asked.

Alex nodded. “Zahra gave me the rundown. About seven times.”

“Perfect,” Henry said. “Let me mount Lance and then we can take some pictures, alright?”

“Okay,” he said, a smile bubbling up from inside him. Henry being there had helped him to conquer his fear. When together, they truly could do anything.

“Oh, and Alex,” Henry said as he started untying his own horse.

Henry looked him up and down. “I’m digging the whole cowboy look. Like  _ really  _ digging it.”

He smirked. Maybe horseback riding wasn’t so bad after all.


End file.
